B1.3 The use and abuse of drugs Flashcards
What are drugs tested for?
Toxicity, Efficacy, Dose
Describe how drugs are tested
- Lab- using cells, tissues and live animals to predict how the drug may behave in humans
- Clinical trials- involves healthy volunteers and patients. Low doses of the drug are given at the start to check for unexpected side effects. If drug is safe, further clinical trials to find optimum dose for the drug.
In some double blind trials, some patients are give a PLACEBO. Doctors nor patients know who has been given it.
What is a placebo and what does it do?
A pill which does not contain the drug. It rules out psychological effects.
What are statins used for?
Lower cholesterol levels and the risk of heart and circulatory diseases
What was Thalidomide developed as?
A sleeping pill
What was thalidomide found to be effective as and why was this a problem?
reliving morning sickness
It had not been tested on pregnant woman. Babies born to mother who took the drug were born with LIMB ABNORMALITIES.
The drug was then banned. As a result, drug testing became much more rigorous.
What is Thalidomide starting to be used for?
treating LEPROSY and other diseases
Why do drugs need to be tested?
To find out if they are safe and effective
Name some legal recreational drugs
Alcohol
nicotine
Name some illegal recreational drugs
ecstasy
cannabis
heroin
What are the side effects of nicotine and alcohol?
Nicotine- disease of the heart and lungs
Alcohol- effects the nervous system and slows down body reactions
What is an effect of illegal recreational drugs?
edverse effects on the heart and circulatory system
Describe what cannabis is and what it can cause
it is an illegal drug. Cannabis smoke contains chemicals that may cause mental illness in some people.
What is a drug?
A substance which changes the chemical processes in people’s bodies
Name 2 very addictive drugs
heroin, cocaine
What are the 2 types of drug an athlete can take to enhance performance and what do they do?
Stimulants- boost bodily functions such as heart rate.
Anabolic steroids- stimulate muscle growth.
Give reasons why people are against performing enhancing drugs in sport.
- it is unfair if people gain an advantage by taking drugs
- Athletes may not be fully informed of the serious health risks of the drugs they are taking
Give reasons why people are for taking performing enhancing drugs in sport
- Athletes have the right to make their own decision
- Drug free sport is not fair anyway as diffident athletes have access to different facilities.
Why do some people use recreational drugs?
enjoyment, relaxation, stress relief
Some studies link cannabis and ….
hard drug use
Cannabis is a ‘gate way drug’
In double blind trials, who will know who is given the placebo or drug?
neither the doctor nor patient
Suggest information about legal drugs that would need to be considered before the classification of the drug was changed
dependency
side effects
Why are drugs trialled?
to test for
dosage
toxicity
efficacy
Suggest why legal non prescribed drugs have a greater impact on the health of the population than illegal drugs
more people use legal non prescribed drugs
legal non prescribed drugs are more readily available
